Spaceship Earth to close for 2+ years?

[TheMaxRebo]

For me, it depends on what they end up doing with it. If it becomes just another ride with some IP then I'm disappointed. If they keep the basic ride intact and just update what's already there plus redo portions then I'm interested.

From the way reports have been described I think it would be largely the same ride and not something totally different with an IP focus

Now the area I could see IP involved would be the post ride area which sounds like could see a major overhaul

One other idea would be if they used a character as the narrator.... if they go that route maybe they could go be you the option for what narrator you want (like you get to pick what language) - and some of the options are characters but other options at Dame Dench, Jeremy Irons, The Rock, etc

 

[Planogirl]

From the way reports have been described I think it would be largely the same ride and not something totally different with an IP focus

Now the area I could see IP involved would be the post ride area which sounds like could see a major overhaul

One other idea would be if they used a character as the narrator.... if they go that route maybe they could go be you the option for what narrator you want (like you get to pick what language) - and some of the options are characters but other options at Dame Dench, Jeremy Irons, The Rock, etc

Picking your narrator would be fun. Otherwise I hope that you're right. Future World has lost so much of its spirit that I worry that Spaceship Earth will be the next in line.

 

[TIGER RADIATION]

From the way reports have been described I think it would be largely the same ride and not something totally different with an IP focus

Now the area I could see IP involved would be the post ride area which sounds like could see a major overhaul

One other idea would be if they used a character as the narrator.... if they go that route maybe they could go be you the option for what narrator you want (like you get to pick what language) - and some of the options are characters but other options at Dame Dench, Jeremy Irons, The Rock, etc

i hope they DO NOT remove the historical themes that are already there. maybe just update? They can add new stuff at the end. not the beginning. we shall see. long way out.

 

[elephant98]

I vaguely remember the irons version from when I was a kid. I miss the down ramp scenes and the chariot guy in the Rome scene

I distinctly remember the Walter Cronkite version. “For eons ...”

 

[The Pho]

From the way reports have been described I think it would be largely the same ride and not something totally different with an IP focus

Now the area I could see IP involved would be the post ride area which sounds like could see a major overhaul

One other idea would be if they used a character as the narrator.... if they go that route maybe they could go be you the option for what narrator you want (like you get to pick what language) - and some of the options are characters but other options at Dame Dench, Jeremy Irons, The Rock, etc

Narration choice would be cool, especially letting us listen to the older ones again. But that would only work with minimal changes through the first half of the ride. And whatever they do at the end would have to have a different narrator in order to make sense. I can certainly see them doing a character, Jiminy Cricket seems like an easy one.

 

[kandb]

There are so few rides in Epcot, it will hard for this ride to be down for so long. Why not replace the figment ride first, so when SE goes down there is another ride for people to go on?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

There are so few rides in Epcot, it will hard for this ride to be down for so long. Why not replace the figment ride first, so when SE goes down there is another ride for people to go on?

If they are waiting until 2020 I think there is a good chance at least the new Rat ride is open, if not Guardians ... I think that is why they would wait wait until then to start even though it means it might not be done for WDW's 50th

 

[Scifidiner]

I distinctly remember the Walter Cronkite version. “For eons ...”

Me too, does that make us old?

 

[emily elkins]

TWO YEARS without spaceship earth??

I mean I'm fine with it. spaceship earth isn't my favorite ride at Epcot, so I hope they can make something great out of it!

 

[Tempty]

Took my boyfriend to DW the first week of this month (for his first trip ever) and we rode Spaceship Earth
Really the only thing I could see that MIGHT need a touch-up/refurb is the touch screens ? The calibration is way off and they're filthy, but that's it
Told my boyfriend about this and he was confused
"Who thought that needed a refurb? I thought it was fine?"
I thought the same thing
Maybe we're in the minority though, who knows

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Took my boyfriend to DW the first week of this month (for his first trip ever) and we rode Spaceship Earth
Really the only thing I could see that MIGHT need a touch-up/refurb is the touch screens ? The calibration is way off and they're filthy, but that's it
Told my boyfriend about this and he was confused
"Who thought that needed a refurb? I thought it was fine?"
I thought the same thing
Maybe we're in the minority though, who knows

I feel it definitely needs a refurb, or at least a refresh. The projection at the beginning of the Cavemen is almost invisible at this point, some of the animatronics don't move that smoothly, they took the projection of the moving chariot out, the paper boy has been turned around for years rather than fix him, and it ends with the start of the home PC era - but we are way past that now. Plus the part where you go down backwards doesn't have much to it compared to what they used to have

Now, whether it needs 2+ year refurb, that I can't say - but it definitely isn't as great/top notch as it used to be. previous versions featured a number of more animatronics too

 

[Tempty]

Now, whether it needs 2+ year refurb, that I can't say - but it definitely isn't as great/top notch as it used to be. previous versions featured a number of more animatronics too

Yeah I guess I should have clarified lol
I think anything could use a refurb at almost any time because they're constantly moving and could malfunction at any time
But 2+ years seems kind of ridiculous for this attraction IMO

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yeah I guess I should have clarified lol
I think anything could use a refurb at almost any time because they're constantly moving and could malfunction at any time
But 2+ years seems kind of ridiculous for this attraction IMO

I agree with that - at least on the surface. Sometimes there are a lot of mechanical issues that a guest wouldn't notice (or even not current issues but due to wear increased potential for failure, etc). I recall not too long ago Pirates closed for several months and when it reopened the changes people were like "that's it?" - but it was a lot of mechanical things that needed work that the guests don't see

But even given that, 2+ years does seem like a long time ... I mean, all of EPCOT was build in 3 years!

 

[PrincessShea]

As long as it's a refurb, I'm fine with it. I think it's fine up until the moon landing and as much as I love the 70's computer woman with the yellow tights; that's a huge set that could be condensed to make room for the INSANE changes in information/communication technology of the past 15 years. The "game" on the decent is dumb and outdated and I would love to see changes there.

If the overall theme of the ride is changed...like if it becomes the death star...then I riot.

 

[Q-man]

Will add also, he is not surprised on length of renewal time needed, as there is no good way to get equipment to SSE while park is open and do refurb due to not alot of space, and the ride vehicles are extremely difficult to get out, and takes a great deal of time to do that work

Wouldn't location limit the ability to move materials in and out to about 10 hours a day? I can't see how you could close one side of that pathway.

 

[KYMickey]

Wouldn't location limit the ability to move materials in and out to about 10 hours a day? I can't see how you could close one side of that pathway.

I'm guessing that they will have to close of one side. They will probably route incoming people outside 1 of the existing buildings in some way or another

 

[Q-man]

I'm guessing that they will have to close of one side. They will probably route incoming people outside 1 of the existing buildings in some way or another

I thought about that as well but it would have to be on the same side that is open and I can't make out on google maps how'd you get them far enough past SSE for that to work.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I'm guessing that they will have to close of one side. They will probably route incoming people outside 1 of the existing buildings in some way or another

I thought about that as well but it would have to be on the same side that is open and I can't make out on google maps how'd you get them far enough past SSE for that to work.

Might be able to structure it where there is a path coming in from just north of Universe of Energy to that side of SEE and they can open it up a lot of the time for people to pass through and then close it off just when moving materials

Or I believe there are some utilidoors in EPCOT Future World - and specifically under SEE and Innoventions, so maybe that can help out as well

 

[Q-man]

^^^
That is how they handled the issue with 7DMT.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I think they should've started it the beginning of next year, so it would be ready for the 50th anniversary. I'm planning as huge trip for 2021 and it's a bummer that SE won't be open